A Misunderstanding
by SodiumMan
Summary: Lucius has such feminine features. It's easy to mistake him for a girl. Good thing you and me know otherwise. Unfortunately, Lucius never made it clear with the rest of the gang...
1. The Confession

I don't own these characters. Wish I did.

* * *

"Lord Raymond? Are you there?" asked Lucius, stepping into the clearing.

"Uhm. Yes. I'm right here." Replied Raven, stepping out from behind a tree.

"What is it you wanted to talk about Lord Raymond?" asked Lucius.

"Please…call me Raymond" replied Raven, blushing furiously.

"A-alright…Raymond…What is it you wanted to talk about?"

"Well, we've known each other for a long time Lucius, you, me, and Pricilla, we all grew up together." Said Raven.

"A-and the truth is…" he trailed off, looking at his feet.

"What is it Lor- I mean, Raymond?" asked Lucius gently.

"The truth is…I…have feelings for you." Blurted out Raven, now beet red.

"Oh…Oh!" Exclaimed Lucius, "I…I don't know what to say…"

"You don't have to say anything!" replied Raven quickly, "I…I've felt this way for a long time, and I just had to get it off my chest, that's all. I understand if you don't return my feelings…You're an amazing woman, and I have nothing left except my revenge."

"What? Oh Lord Raymond! There's been a misunderstanding!"

"No, it's ok Lucius! I get it! I guess I'll see you around camp then, huh?"

Raven quickly retreated back into the woods.

"Stupid, stupid, you're so stupid!" he said to himself, "You knew she didn't feel that way about you, but you just had to go and ruin your relationship with her with your stupid, stupid confession!"

* * *

"But…Lord Raymond…I'm a guy…" Said Lucius to the air, dazed.

* * *

I don't blame Raven. Thought he was a girl too. For now, this story is done...Although I might add later chapters with other characters mistaking poor Lucius's gender.


	2. Death Threat

Ok! I've decided to add another chapter to this...And before anyone says anything, I _know_ Priscilla is horribly OOC on this...but for some reason, this is just what I feel whenever I see her...I always have this suspicion that she has this really dark and twisted personality hidden behind her meek outer facade...

...

A week

A week. That's how long Lucius had been trying to clear up the misunderstanding between him and Raven. Unfortunately, Raven had gone through great lengths avoiding him. Lucius had even tried sneaking into his tent during the night to explain, but somehow Raven had gotten wind of it and fled before Lucius got there.

Frustrated, Lucius sighed, staring into the fire as the army had breakfast.

"You seem rather down, Lucius" came a soft voice behind him.

He turned around and replied with surprise, "Oh! Lady Priscilla! Do you need something?"

"No" she replied, sitting down next to Lucius, "I just wanted to talk…what's on your mind? You seem troubled."

"Ah…it is just…" Lucius began

"Could it have something to do with my brother, hmmm?" ask Priscilla

"Ah! Yes…" replied Lucius, blushing slightly, "There has been a misunderstand-"

"You have a very beautiful face Lucius.", Priscilla cut in.

"What? Oh thank yo-" Luscius began

"So, just what are you to my brother?" asked Priscilla, cutting in again.

"Um…I am his vassal, but what does-"

"Don't lie to me! I saw you sneaking into my dear brother's tent last night!" Priscilla exclaimed.

"Oh! No, I was just trying to-"

"Oh I know _exactly_ what you were trying to do!" yelled Priscilla, grabbing Lucius by his hair, "Just know this, you little harlot, Raymond is _mine_! You go near him again…Hmph!" she shoved Lucius to the ground and stormed off.

* * *

Poor Lucius...never catches a break.


	3. Bath Time Fun

Ostia. At long last, the ragtag army had reached Hector's home. They could finally relax without fear of ambush, and recuperate before heading back out to do battle with the Black Fang once again.

"Aaah…", sighed Lucius, as he slid deeper into the hot spring, feeling the tension bleed from his shoulders. He was so relaxed that he didn't hear the light footsteps and humming of someone in the changing room. He did however, hear the faint splash as that person entered the pool.

"Hm? Is someone there?", asked Lucius, sitting up.

"Oh, hello Lucius! I didn't see you there.", replied Lyn, wading over. Lucius' face turned bright red.

"L-l-lady Lyndis! What are you- I'm terribly sorry- I didn't hear you-", he started babbling, as he began to rise from the water.

"Relax, Lucius!", replied Lyn, chuckling. "And please, call me Lyn. After helping me free Caelin and my grandfather from Lugar, I think we're close enough for that."

"Besides", she continued, brushing her hair out of her face, "What's the big deal? No one but us girls here."

_Oh no oh no ohnoohnoohnoohnoohno…_ Lucius' mind repeated as he froze up in fear. He glanced around desperately for an escape route.

"Ah…this is so nice!" exclaimed Lyn, luxuriating in the heat. "In Caelin, there was always some sort of attendant hovering around trying to do everything for me. I know they mean well, but sometimes it can get so tiring…"

Lucius just sank down lower into the pool, wishing he were somewhere, anywhere, but where he was.

_It can't get any worse than this…_ he though miserably. Unfortunately for Lucius, fate loves to prove men wrong.

"Really? You use an amethyst for your healing staves? I've always found them so tacky, I'd much rather use something like a ruby, it goes so well with my hair…"

Just then, Serra and Priscilla entered the baths, animatedly talking about healing techniques. Priscilla spotted Lucius, shot him a glare, and then returned to talking to Serra about the positives and negatives of amethysts in healing.

**Meanwhile…**

"What are we doing out here?" complained Guy, as he followed Matthew through the woods.

"You want to be the best swordsman in all of Sacae, right?" replied Matthew cheerfully, "I'm just helping out. Agility training."

"Really? Special training?" asked Guy, quickening his pace to catch up with Matthew, "Does it work?"

"Mmmhmm…It's an ancient technique handed down from father to son, blah blah blah, you know the spiel." replied Matthew distractedly, his eyes searching the woods for something.

"Aha! That's the spot. Wait right here." Said Matthew, positioning Guy.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Guy called toward the retreating thief.

"Don't worry! I'll be right back!" called Matthew, waving cheerfully.

True to his word, Matthew was back in a couple of minutes, carrying a large bundle of clothes. He then handed the bundle to Guy.

"What? How is this going to make me faster?" asked Guy, incredulous.

"Like this!" said Matthew, smiling, as he booted Guy in the chest, causing him to stumble on a tree root, and plunge into the hot spring where the females where bathing.

…

Lyn had carelessly slipped and said that there were certain males in their group that she found a bit attractive, and now Serra was on a mission to find out exactly which man it was. Lucius sat there glumly trying to ignore Priscilla as she made threatening gestures at him when no one was looking. Lyn was breaking down.

"Alright! Alright! I'll tell you." She blushed. "It's…"

Just then, there was a loud splash.

"Ambush! We're under attack!" cried Lyn, jumping up and grabbing her Mani Katti, which was sitting at the edge of the spring.

"Ack! No! -glub- Wait! -glub- Don't…!" Shouted Guy, trying to gain his footing on the slippery surface.

"EEEEEEEEEK! IS THAT MY NEW DRESS?" shouted Serra in horror, seeing her clothes floating in the spring.

It was not a sight that Ostia would soon forget. The sight of 3 women wrapped in nothing but towels, chasing a soaping wet youth through the castle. Among the soldiers, it became legend. 'The Curse of the Amazons'. Whenever a new recruit was brought to Ostia Keep, they would be forced to stay the night fully clothed in the hot springs as an initiation.

…

Matthew had watched the action from the safety of a tree, chuckling all the while. Then he frowned, and counted the enraged women. There were only 3. That wasn't right. He had taken enough clothes from the bathhouse for 4. He spotted something moving from the corner of his eye. When he turned, he saw the wayward 'female'. It was Lucius, a towel wrapped around his waist, running as fast as he could, for his tent, thanking Saint Elmine the whole way.

"Well, now…That's interesting…" mused Matthew. He hopped down from his tree and headed toward his tent. He had scheming to do.


	4. You owe me one

So, at long last, the story continues! Maybe.

...

"Alright, alright, everyone settle down now." Soothed Eliwood.

"Hey! Pay ATTENTION!" yelled Hector over the hubbub, pounding the table for order.

The clamor of angry voices died down a bit.

"Thank you" Eliwood said, glancing over at Hector, "Now, exactly what happened?"

"My Lord Eliwood! It was horrible! Horrible! This…this…this FIEND took my best dress, and ruined it in the springs!" wailed Serra melodramatically, "and he, he saw my naked form! Oh! I've been defiled!" she moaned, "ERKY! Why weren't you there to defend my virtue? You're MY escort!"

"If I were there, I would have seen you unclothed also" replied Erk, thumbing through a book, "and I'm not your escort anymore."

"Oh fiend! Pervert! All men are beasts!" wailed Serra.

"Yes, thank you Serra." Replied Eliwood, massaging his temple. "Lyn, do you want to tell me what happened?"

"Guy was… peeping on us." Said Lyn, her arms crossed, looking down. Her eyebrow had developed a twitch.

"It wasn't my fault! I'm telling you! It was Matthew's doing! I swear on my word as a Plainsman!" Yelled Guy from the back of the room, tied to a chair.

"Matthew? Where is Matthew?" demanded Hector.

Everyone looked around. The redheaded thief was nowhere to be seen.

Lyn stood up, "Guy gave his word as a Sacaen, and I'll believe that. I don't think there's anything else we can do until Matthew is brought in and questioned."

Eliwood stood up also, "I agree with Lyn. There is nothing more to be done here. I suggest that we all go back to what we were doing. If anyone spots Matthew, tell him that Hector and I would like a word with him."

The crowd dissipated to the sound of Serra's shrill demands that something be done about her dress.

**Meanwhile…**

Lucius lay on his cot, his head buried under his pillow, silently asking St. Elmine why this was happening to him. He was so wrapped up in his misery, that he didn't hear his tent flap carefully lifted, or the light footsteps of a thief crossing the floor.

"What's the matter Lucius? You seem down." Ask Matthew jovially, perched on the end of Lucius' cot.

Lucius jumped, startled, "O-Oh! Matthew! Forgive me; I didn't hear you come in."

"What's the matter, Lucius?" Matthew asked again, smiling disarmingly.

"Oh, uh nothing, nothing at all!" replied Lucius, a little too quickly, his face turning red as he immediately thought of the glimpses of things he, as a monk, should most definitely _not_ be seeing, at the hot springs.

The cheeky thief leaned in, "Are you sure? It looks almost like you've got the burden of a _secret_ on you."

Lucius jerked back, his face flaming red.

"I-I-I…"

"Don't worry," Matthew reassured him, "I won't tell anyone of your…hobbies. Although my silence comes at a price."

"You don't understand! It was an accident!" protested Lucius.

"An accident?" Matthew furrowed his brow, "I don't know how you could call it an accident."

"But it was…" said Lucius miserably.

"Look, call it what you want," replied Matthew, "Just know that you owe me for keeping this secret."

"Owe you? Owe you what?" asked Lucius.

"You just owe me." Replied Matthew, "I'll come collecting one day."

Just then, they heard Hector bellowing for Matthew to come out.

"Whoops! Looks like that's my cue to leave!" exclaimed Matthew brightly. He started moving toward the tent entrance. Pausing in front of it, he turned and gave Lucius a wink, "Take care of yourself buddy."

…

"Hello? Anyone? Help…?" called out Guy, having been left tied to the chair inside of the main tent.

...

That's the chapter!

So, I'm not 100% happy with this turn out, because I don't think I made it apparent enough that there has been yet _another_ misunderstanding, this time between Lucius and Matthew. As you should have realized from the previous chapter (although maybe you didn't), Matthew has learned that Lucius is a guy. He thinks that Lucius is just some sort of weird cross-dressing tranny, kind of like Tokio Hotel. He goes to, essentially blackmail, Lucius into keeping this a secret. Poor naive Lucius still just automatically assumes everyone knows his real gender, and believes Matthew saw him running from the hot springs (which he did), and is blackmailing him for being a peeping tom. Just thought I'd clarify.


End file.
